Maine and New Hampshire renew materials manufacturing

Beyond the Bay State

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Efrain Viscarolasaga

At one time, the region reaching from the Merrimack Valley northward to the upper reaches of Maine was known for its manufacturing, from textiles to boats. Those industries experienced well-documented declines in the second half of the 20th century, but today the northern New England manufacturing industry is making a comeback in the form of advanced materials.

In Maine, once a center for boatbuilding, state officials have pegged the advanced materials sector as one of seven centers of opportunity for the state in a statewide economic cluster report released last year. The potential lies in the state’s existing expertise: “We have learned how to stick stuff together,” as Jake Ward, assistant vice president of research, economic development and governmental relations at the University of Maine, said in the report.

The result has been a concerted effort by the Pine Tree State to foster its advanced materials industry. Essentially dormant for several years, the Maine Composites Alliance was brought back into the public eye last summer with the appointment of new executive director Stephen Von Vogt, the founder of several composite materials firms, including Maine Marine Composites Inc., along with new funding through the Maine Technology Institute.

“Years ago, the materials industry here was mostly boatbuilding,” said Von Vogt. “But we want to diversify that and turn it into an advanced materials sector.”

Brunswick-based Harbor Technologies LLC is a prime example. A maker of materials used in the construction of docks, piers and other marine structures, the company’s main product is an advanced composite ideally suited for marine applications. The company, founded by Martin Grimnes, has received funding from the state and the Maine Technology Institute, as well as outside investors, and recently added $500,000 worth of machinery to increase production.

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